Malcolm Roberts confronted by unions at DV fundraiser

THE sausages and bread were thrown to the side when unions, domestic violence support campaigners and One Nation candidate Malcolm Roberts clashed during a fundraising barbecue at Queens Park on Saturday.

Insulting slurs were thrown around as those involved in the debate could be heard shouting "can you move out of my face please, what did you call us" and "my kids are here what are you doing".

Queensland Council of Unions (QCU) representatives turned up to the event to confront Mr Roberts about One Nation's policies on domestic violence, a debate led by QCU general secretary Ros McLennan.

Mr Roberts told unionists Ipswich City Council had banned him from holding politicised discussions at the event and instead he was there to support domestic violence charity End All DV in promoting support services for male and female domestic violence victims.

One Nation candidate Malcolm Roberts was confronted at an End All DV awareness and fundraising event in Queens Park.
David Nielsen

"This is a function about removing all domestic violence so I'm not going to politicise this at all," Mr Roberts said. "I came here to lend support to this very fine movement.

"This is about ending all domestic violence, this is about ending all domestic violence, we can do this all day."

Mr Roberts refused to answer why the event had been "advertised as a One Nation domestic violence function".

He instead told representatives, "we will not be making this into a political event".

End All DV volunteer Leith Erikson said One Nation invited him and the charity to the event to "run a fundraising barbecue for the charity". He said he did not expect to be engaged in the political warfare.

"We didn't want there to be a political rally, we just wanted to have a barbecue," he said.

IT’S ON: Union representatives clashed with One Nation supporters in a verbal stoush at Queens Park on the weekend.
David Nielsen

"I went over to them to offer them a sausage, to say hello the sausages are ready and to come over and they launched into me.

"We took our families and kids there to run a sausage sizzle and they jumped on us."

Mr Erikson said despite the confrontation, the sausages were salvaged and $148 was raised to support the End All DV charity.

For 24-hour support in Queensland phone DVConnect on 1800 811 811, MensLine on 1800 600 636 or the national hotline 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.